A King and a Duelist
by Koi no Soshan
Summary: Kizuna Series. On a visit to Egypt, Jounouchi tries to figure out what sort of man Malik is. Post-series, Gen.


**Disclaimer:** Yuugiou (Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters) is the property of Takahashi Kazuki and respective publishers, including Shueisha, Studio Gallop, Nihon Ad Systems, Toei Animation, 4Kids, and others. I would never claim to own it or attempt to make money off of it- just think of this as a written, free doujinshi and hopefully we'll get along fine ;)

**Notes:** This is part of a series of one-shots and drabbles which I call the 'Kizuna series', for lack of a better name. While they do follow a chronological order, I don't always _write_ them in order; hopefully they succeed in being comprehensible when read out of order as well. The basics at least are simple: Jounouchi and Shizuka are visiting the Ishtars in Egypt, and Malik paid for their tickets.

Oh, and I suppose a warning for underage drinking is in order? Being about nineteen in this mini series, Malik is old enough to legally purchase beer in Egypt, but not wine. But his ID is all fake anyway- probably says he's twenty-four by now ;)

* * *

**A King and a Duelist**

It was weird being back in Egypt again. Last time he'd been here it was with Yuugi and the others, fighting together in the Memory World to get Atemu-kun's name back to him, and then there had been that final duel…

It had been a great duel, and he understood why Atemu-kun had wanted things that way, but still, it wasn't exactly a good memory. Maybe that was why he couldn't sleep?

Jounouchi had ended up pacing, not as quietly as he maybe could have been (though he never really had been all that good at it…but maybe if he woke Rishid up he could use the opportunity to nag him for a duel again, which wouldn't be such a bad use of insomnia), before ending up right back in the parlor they'd all been in earlier. Jeez, Malik had a lot of fancy stuff in here, even if most of it besides the wine was hidden away in the corners. He had way too much wine…was he even old enough to buy it in Egypt?

Jounouchi made a face at the wine and looked away. Maybe there was something worth looking at on the table…

Huh, Malik had left those blueprints of his lying around. Jounouchi didn't really understand architecture, but it was at least something to look at, and it was sort of interesting. None of them had really thought much about the Tomb Keepers, at least not for long enough to really consider the reality that there were more of them out there than just Rishid, Malik, and Ishizu. But Malik had wanted revenge for not just himself but all of his clan, right?

He might have been a bastard back in Battle City, but it looked like he was doing better now. Building a whole manor just so that clan of his could live the way they were used to without staying stuck underground was pretty impressive.

"Hmm? You couldn't sleep?" After the voice, footsteps sounded, until Malik stood across from him by the table.

What was that English saying Anzu had told him about? 'Speak of the devil?' Or in this case think of it. Jounouchi looked up from the map and grinned. "You know, Malik, you actually kind of remind me of Atemu-kun."

Malik frowned lightly. "Oh? And why would you say such a thing?"

"Doing all this for your clan, wanting to take charge of everything…" Jounouchi grinned. "Next thing I know you'll be trying to fight someone else's battles for him when he gets in a spot of trouble, whether he wants you to or not!"

"Hn. I'm hardly going to fight your battles for you, Jounouchi."

"Oh, so you're still the sort of king who makes everyone do your dirty work for you? I don't believe that!"

Malik narrowed his eyes. Annoyed like this, he almost looked like he had back in Battle City. Heh, so he was still full of himself, huh? "This," Malik said, waving a hand over the blueprints, "Is a part of my duty towards my clan. Nothing more. Unlike the Pharaoh, I'm uninterested in martyring myself for any outsiders who have need of help."

"If you don't want to help outsiders then why'd you pay for our tickets?" Jounouchi wasn't dumb enough to be ungrateful for the gesture, since he never could have afforded to fly himself and Shizuka to Egypt alone, but it had been damned annoying, the way Malik had just sent the tickets over without even bothering to ask if they were free first!

"A companion of the Pharaoh isn't an outsider," Malik said, as if it was really just that simple.

Jounouchi frowned. "You really are serious about this, aren't you? What, so the rest of the world can just go die as long as the people _you're_ responsible for are safe?"

His face remained the same, but Malik clenched his fists. "No, but it's true that foreigners are hardly my first responsibility."

"So you haven't changed _that_ much, huh?"

Malik looked wary for a moment, but then he shrugged. "Does anyone ever? You certainly haven't changed very much from when we first met."

Jounouchi shook his head. "I've changed a lot, actually. I used to bully Yuugi, you know, until he stood up for me and I realized what an ass I was being. And I didn't know anything about dueling when I first started, either… If it wasn't for Yuugi, I wouldn't be like this today."

Malik looked thoughtful now. "I wouldn't say that it's the same for myself. I hold the same beliefs, after all- I'm merely applying them to a different lifestyle."

"So what are your beliefs? That you're responsible for your clan…and your allies, I guess…that the rest of the world doesn't matter much, that you're better than everyone else…like that?"

"Hn. If that's what you wish to believe."

"Well, I don't know! I haven't exactly seen much of you outside of Battle City!"

"Malik-sama…Jounouchi?" Rishid was in the doorway, seeming confused as he looked between the two of them. Well, they probably _were_ the two last people he'd expect to find having a midnight chat.

"Rishid, hey! We couldn't sleep, and both ended up here…" Jounouchi jerked his head in the direction of the blueprints, figuring it the easiest way to point it out while not explaining. "Ah, Rishid! Will you duel with me?"

"At this time of night? We would disturb Ishizu-sama and your younger sister."

"Tch, we can just do it on the tabletop like old times. A true duelist doesn't need fancy tools! Come on, a rematch? No manipulations, nothing at stake…just a game between men!"

Rishid smiled. "I would be honored to duel you again, Jounouchi. I must retrieve my deck."

Jounouchi grinned and began to follow him, but turned back for a moment. "Someday I'll duel with you, too, Malik, and then I'll be able to tell you what kind of man you are. Just you wait!"

Malik nodded. "If you wish."

Jounouchi gave him a thumbs-up before turning back and continuing on his way.

* * *

**AN: **

Jounouchi referred to Atemu as 'Atemu-kun' at least once in the last arc. As for being 'Jounouchi' in the narration...it could just be reaching, but I got the impression through the series that he identifies more with his last name. He named his Monster World doll 'Jou', for instance, and, with everyone he's close to calling him Jounouchi, I at least don't find it _unlikely_.


End file.
